Braiding machine



Aug. 19, 1958 L. THIBERT BRAIDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 3, 1956 Lillllu 87 ffii-i mb R mi o n @A ,fr w a L Aug. 19, 1958 L. THI'BERT 2,847,898

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y 65%.2 l 15g/97mm ATTRNEYS.

United States Patent:

2,847,898 BRMDING MACHINE Laurent Thibert, Pawtucket, R. l., assigner to Providence Braid Company, a corporation of Rhode island Application April 3, 1956, Serial No. 575,749

8 Claims. (Cl. 87-19) This invention relates to improvements in a braiding machine, particularly a braiding machine which is adapted for making elastic braid fabric.

In machines of the above type, the elastic thread is led from a stationary guide to the former or braiding point of the machine, at which location the elastic thread is incorporated in the fabric. Although braiding machines are usually constructed with a stop motion for effecting stoppage of the machine upon breaking or the running out of thread from the supply of each braider carrier, it is not usual to provide for stopping the machine upon breaking or exhaustion of the elastic threads. Thus, detecting broken or run-out elastic thread is dependent entirely upon the vigilance of the machine attendant.

An object of the invention is to provide a braiding machine so constructed as to effect the automatic stoppage of the machine upon breaking of an elastic thread.

Another object of the invention is to provide a braiding machine so constructed as to utilize the usual stop motion responsive to the failure of a non-elastic thread when breaking of an elastic thread occurs so as to cause operation of the stop motion of the machine.

A more specilic object of the invention is to provid-e in conjunction with the stop motion of a braider machine means for effecting the operation of said stop motion by breaking the non-elastic thread upon the breaking of an elastic thread.

Another object is to provide a thread severing means which will be electrically actuated.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view partially in section of a fragmentary portion of a braider machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of the top plate of the machine and stop motion for the spool carriers; Y,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a stop motion mechanism for the elastic threads;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5 5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the knife portion of a thread severing means.

ln carrying out my invention, I arrange for severing a thread of the braider carriers upon breaking of an elastic thread so as to effect. stoppage of the machine by the use of the usual stop motion mechanism of the machine. The severing means may be a knife blade supported in a manner to be held normally at an inoperative location but actuated in response to a broken elastic thread to be moved to a location which is in the path of the thread of a braider carrier as it circles the braiding point to be severed upon engaging the knife so as to actuate the stop motion of the machine. It will be apparent that the thread of a single braider carrier need be severed to actuate the stop motion. To this end, I arrange for one of the braider carriers to guide its thread to the braiding point in a path different from the path of the threads of the other braider carriers, the knife being positioned to be moved only into such dilferent path about the braiding point.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, only so much of the braiding machine 10 has been shown as is believed necessary for a clear understanding of the invention. A top plate l1 is lspaced from a lower or bottom plate i2. The top plate l1 has the usual serpentine tracks i3 which includes the usual quoits 14, each of which is held in place by a hollow quoit stud 15 held to the bottom plate 12 by clamp nut 16 and held to the top plate ll by clamp nut 17. In the space between the two plates are positioned the horn gears (not shown) which are mounted for rotation about the studs 15 and drive the braider carriers 18 and 19 about the said serpentine tracks i3 in the known manner. Only two braider carriers are shown, but it will be understood that there is a plurality of braider carriers, the number depending upon the size and design of braid being made. The supply spool carriers or braider carriers are of Wellknown construction, andv each has a base 20 which is adapted to be moved along the upper side of the top plate ll in a serpentine` path provided by the track 13 along which the carrier is guided by means of the guideV web 2l engaging along the walls of track 13. A post 22 extends upwardly from the base 20 and rotatably supports a yarn or thread package 23 which has a ratchet base 24 engaged by a latch 25 to hold the supply relatively stationary during the braiding of a previous length of thread released from the supply 23. A Weighted tension member 26 having a thread guide 27 is slidably mounted on a standard 28 which rises from the base 20 and is provided at its upper end with a pigtail guide 29. The thread T is led from the supply 23 to a fixed guide 30, thence through guides 27 and 29. From guide 29 the thread is led to the former 31 which is positioned at the central axis 3l. of the said serpentine path. The tension member 26 under spring bias takes up the slack and applies a tension on the thread during the braiding of the length thereof drawn from the supply 23. During the braiding action member 26 is pulled upwardly along the standard 28 against a light compression spring 32 surrounding the standard 28. Upon a suliicient upward movement of the tension member 26, the same will engage and raise a latch releasing member 33 which is slidably guided on standard 28 and having a foot portion (not shown) connected to the latch to swing the same out of engagement with the ratchet 24 to permit rotation of supply 23. Upon the supply 23 being free to rotate, a length of thread will be pulled from the said supply. Thereupon slack in the thread will permit member 26 to slide down standard 28 and take up the slack. Upon member 33 being free of member 26, the same will return to initial position to relatch the supply against rotation. Should the supply 23 run out or should the thread T thereof break, the member 26 now free Will slide down standard 23 to be in position as indicated in broken lines 26 to engage an element of a stop` motion mechanism indicated generally 34 so as to move the same to actuate the mechanism to stop and bring the machine to rest. The stop motion mechanism 34 is intended to be representative of any various known braider machine stop motions which are .actuated by engagement of the tensioning weight or member 26 in the.

movement thereof in the said serpentine path 13.

The stop motion herein disclosed includes an annulus 34 which has spaced slots 35 (see Figure 2), a slot 36,

and projections 37, which extend radially inwardly along the inner periphery of the annulus at predetermined spaced locations, there being only one of such projections shown. The annulus 34 is mounted on the top plate 11 as by means of bearing posts 38 which project upwardly from the top plate 11. The annulus 34 rests on these posts and cap screws pass through slo-ts 35 and threadedly engage said posts so as to movably secure the annulus for restricted circular movement about the axis 31. A bell crank lever 41 has an upturned arm 42 which projects into slot 36 for engagement with the walls of the slot, and the other arm 43 thereof has a slanted end 44. The shipper handle 45 of the machine is pivotally mounted as at 46 and has a knock-off projection 47, which in the on position of the said shipper handle is in contact with the end 44 of lever 41. The shipper handle is connected to the usual shipper shaft which actuates the mechanism through which the source of power is connected or disconnected. Upon a thread from any of the braider carriers 23 breaking, being severed, or running out, the member 26 of the affected braider carrier will slide down post 28 to the broken line position 26. The projections 37 are positioned in line with this position of the members 26 and will be engaged thereby during the travel of the braider carriers so as to move the annulus 34' circularly in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2, so as to swing lever 41 about its pivot and cause the end 44 of the lever to apply a force on the shipper handle to move the same to disconnect the power source so as to effect stoppage of the machine.

There are secured to the quoit studs 15 guides designated generally 50 for guiding elastic threads to the point of braiding. Each of the guides 50 carries an elastic tensioning device similar to the tension device disclosed and described in Patent No. 2,040,705, issued May l2, 1936, and to which reference may be had for a more complete description thereof. Each guide comprises a post 51 generally U-shaped in cross section and secured at its lower end to the clamp nut 17. lts upper end has an elastic thread guide 52 through which the elastic thread E is led to the point of braiding.

The various elements and motions above described are known and are representative of known braider machines. The present invention provides a mechanism which is co-ordinated with the above described elements in a manner to effect machine stoppage upon breaking of an elastic or rubber thread or the running out thereof. To this end, I provide a device designated generally 55 (Figures 1 and 3). This comprises a stand or support having end uprights 56 of general T shape. At each end portion of the cross branch S7 of the uprights there is journaled a cylindrical member 58, 5S which is provided with a plurality of equally spaced V grooves 59. A rod 60 extends between the uprights and is secured in place by nuts 61 which screw threadedly engage the ends of said rod which projects beyond said uprights. A plurality of electric contacts 62 are rockably mounted on rod 60, and each has a wire hook 63 extending therefrom. A second electric contact 64 in the form of a rod having screw threaded end portions 65 (Figure 5) extends between the uprights in spaced relation to rod 60 and parallel thereto. The screw threaded end portion of the rod 64 extends through opening 66 in said uprights and spaced from the walls of said openings. The rod is secured at each end thereof to said uprights by a pair of clamp nuts 67, 68. An electric insulation washer 69 is positioned between the nut 67 and the adjacent por tion of the upright. A similar insulation washer is positioned between the nut 68 and the upright 56. Thus, the second electric contact is insulated from the stand 55 and the contacts 63. Wire 71 attached to one end of rod 64 provides an electrical lead to be hereinafter described.

The hook portion 63 of each contact 62 is so weighted to swing by gravity into contact with the rod 64 as seen in Figure 4. The elastic threads E lead from a supply which may be a single beam or a plurality of spools (not shown) over the cylinder 58, then across and over cylinder 58', thence return to cylinder 58 and over to be led to the said post 50. Each thread T lies in its own separate groove 59 and beneath the hook 63 which normally holds the said wire out of Contact with the rod 64, as shown in Figure l. Upon breaking of a thread T, the wire contact 62 becomes free and will swing through the action of gravity into contact with the rod 64 whereby to establish a closed electric circuit to be now described, which operates to actuate a severing means to sever one of the threads T extending from a braider carrier to the former.

An electric solenoid 75 having a plunger 76 provided with an opening '76 is mounted on a bracket 77 and electrically insulated therefrom. The bracket 71 is adjustably secured to an upright '78 extending from the plate 12. A knife member 79 having a blade 3i) (see Figure 6) is pivoted to the bracket 77 as at 81 and extends therefrom into said opening 76' to secure it to the said plunger '76. The knife blade end of member 79 extends from the pivot 81 radially towards the axis 31 and is normally held at the position shown in full lines in Figure l. A light torsion type spring 82 is provided for resiliently biasing said member 79 against the wall of opening 76. One side of the solenoid is electrically connected by lead 83 to the contacts 62 through rod 60, and the other side of the solenoid is electrically connected through lead 84, normally closed switch 85, thence through lead 86 to the second contact 64. Electric energy may be furnished from any suitable power source, as by way of example, an electric battery 87 may be interposed in line S3. It will be noted that the switch 85 is positioned at a location to be engaged and moved to open relation by the shipper handle when the same is at the olf position thereof.

From the above it will be apparent that upon a thread E breaking, at any point between the device 55 and the former 31, a slack will develop in the broken thread, and the contact wire 62, 63 held raised thereby will move into engagement with rod 64 and close the normally open circuit to solenoid 75 to energize the same. This will cause retraction of plunger 76, rocking knife 79 to the position indicated in broken lines 79 so as to position the blade in the path of thread T leading from guide 29 of braider carrier 19. Upon the said thread T engaging said blade Si) and being severed thereby, member 26 of this carrier 19 being no longer supported will slide down post 28 to the position indicated 26' and actuate the stop motion 34 to bring the machine to rest, all as previously described. Upon the movement of the shipper handle 45 to the olf position, the normally closed switch will be moved to open position so as to open the circuit to the solenoid 75 and its plunger 76 to return to initial position.

It will be apparent that a time lag is had between the severing of said thread T and stoppage of machine through the action of the stop motion for the braider carriers. To avoid a multiple severing of the threads of several carriers, the knife 79 is positioned above the normal path of travel of the thread from the carrier and one of the braider carriers 19 has its thread guide 29 at a more elevated position to lead its thread T at a higher level than the level of the threads leading from the guide Z9 of the other braider carriers, and when guide 29 is at the outer part of its travel along track 13, it will cause thread T' to engage the knife and be severed. At the position 79 of the blade, the guides 29 of the other braider carriers when in the outer portion of the tracks 13 will be at the location indicated in broken lines 29", and the threads T" leading therefrom to the former 31 U will pass beneath the knife 79. Thus, only the thread T will travel at a level to engage and be severed by blade 80.

It has been found in practice that only the thread of one carrier need be severed to effect stoppage of the braider machine. It is, however, conceivable in some instances that a second or even a third braider carrier may guide its thread at a higher level so as to eifect sooner stoppage of the braider machine. However,

when two or more carriers are constructed to guide the Y' threads therefrom at said higher level, these braider carriers should be positioned spaced from each other a distance greater than the spacing between projection 37 on the annulus 34 of the stop motion.

It will be apparent from the above that I have provided a second stop motion for the braider carrier and have co-ordinated the two stop motions in a manner whereby the action of the one actuates the other to eI'ect machine stoppage.

i claim:

l. in combination, a braiding machine for making elastic braid of non-elastic threads and elastic threads, a stop motion operable to effect stoppage of the machine upon severing of one of the said non-elastic threads, a nonelastic thread severing means, and electrically operated means connected to said severing means operable upon breaking of one of said elastic threads to operate said severing means so as to sever one of said non-elastic threads and effect operation of the stop motion to effect stoppage of the machine.

2. in combination, a braiding machine for making an elastic braid, a plurality of non-elastic thread supply carfiers, a supply of elastic threads, a stop motion for the threads of said carriers, and operable upon the severing of the thread from one of said carriers, a knife operable to sever one of said non-elastic threads, and electric-ally operated means connected to said knife and operable'upon the breaking of an elastic thread to move said knife in position to sever one of said non-elastic threads so as to eifect the operation of said stop motion and eiect machine stoppage.

3. In combination according to claim 2 wherein said knife is rockably mounted.

4. In combination, a braiding machine for making an elastic braid, a plurality of braider carriers for the nonelastic threads, a supply of elastic threads, a stop motion for the threads of said braider carriers, `a knife operable for severing the thread of one of said braider carriers and normally held at a non-thread-severing position, a solenoid connected to said knife and operable upon being energized to move said knife to thread severing position so as to effect the operation of said stop motion, a pair of spaced electrical contacts in the electric circuit of said solenoid, said contacts being held out of engagement by said elastic threads and movable into engagement with each other to close the said electric circuit to said solenoid upon the breaking of one of said elastic threads.

5. In combination according to claim 4 wherein the said thread of one of said braider carriers is guided from said carrier to the point of braiding at a level higher than the level of the threads guided from the other of said braider carriers.

6. In combination, a braiding machine for making braid of non-elastic threads and elastic threads, a stop motion operable to eifect stoppage ci the machine upon severing of one of .the said non-elastic threads, a guide for leading each of said elastic threads `to the point of braiding, a post on said braiding machine spaced from said guides, a non-elastic thread severing means mounted on said post and extending therefrom toward the path of travel of the non-elastic threads, said severing means being normally held out of the said path of travel, and electrically operated mounted on said post and connected to said severing means and operable upon breaking of one of said elastic threads to operate said severing means so as to move the same in the said path to sever one of said nonelastic threads and efect operation of the stop motion so as to effect stoppage of the machine.

7. in combination, a braiding machine for making an eiastic braid, a plurality of non-elastic thread suppiy carriers, a supply of elastic threads, a guide for leading each of said elastic threads to the point of braiding, a post on said braiding machine spaced from said guides, a stop motion for the threads of said carriers, and operable upon the severing of the thread from one of said carriers to effect stoppage of the machine, a knife movably mounted on said post and operable to sever one of said non-elastic threads, said knife being normally held out of the path of travel of the said non-elastic threads, and electrically operatedk means mounted on said post and connected to said knife and operable upon the breaking of an elastic thread to move said knife into position in said path to sever one of said non-elastic threads so as to effect the operation of said stop motion and effect machine stoppage.

8. In combination, a braiding machine for making an elastic braid, a plurality of braider carriers for the nonelastic threads, a supply of elastic threads, a guide for leading each of said elastic threads to the point of braiding, a post on said machine spaced from said guides, a stop motion for the threads of said braider carriers, a knife rockably mounted on said post and operable for severing the thread of one of `said braider carriers and normally held at a non-thread-severing position, a solenoid mounted on said post `and connected to said knife, said solenoid being operable upon being energized to rock said knife to thread severing position so as to effect .the operation of said stop motion, a pair of spaced electrical contacts in the electric circuit of said solenoid, said contacts being held out of engagement by said elastic threads and movable into engagement with each other to close the said electric circuit to said solenoid upon the breaking of one of said elastic threads.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

